Turn out like a pro

The essentials you’ll need…

a body brush

towel or microfibre cloth

small metal mane comb

water or fixing spray

Get started

Before you start applying your quarter marks, whether you’re at a show or practising at home, give your horse a thorough groom and then spend some time ensuring you’ve brushed all the hair on his quarters to run in the same direction (towards his tail). If you skip this crucial step, no matter how carefully you apply the marks, they won’t look as good or take as well. Then, wipe across his quarters with a towel on both sides, in the direction of the hair, to remove any residual dust or loose strands.

Next, dip your brush in water, or follow the instructions for your fixing spray. This step is essential to put a bit of moisture into his coat and make it easier to work with. If using water, shake the brush to get rid of any excess, before brushing across the top of his quarters.

Design time

Stripes may be simple in design, but they can be really striking when done well. Choose between two wide stripes or three narrow ones depending on what suits your horse and how big he is – the size of his bottom will dictate what you can do.

Begin stripe one just in front of the croup, holding the brush vertically and applying a little pressure to it as you draw it straight down, and ending level with the point of the hip. Complete your second stripe (and third, if you’re doing three) in the same way, checking that they’re running parallel to the next one.

Once the stripes are in place, run your brush – you can have it either vertical or horizontal at this point – along under the lower edge of them to give a sharp, clean finish. You can do this on a slightly curved or straight line – try both and you’re likely to find that one shows off his quarters better than the other.

Repeat the process on the other side (ensure the stripes are lined up with the ones you’ve just done). To complete the look, run your brush along his spine from behind the saddle to his tail – this creates a straight line over his croup, giving a clean edge to the top as well as the bottom of your quarter marks.

Half moon

This is a great add-on to stripes, and shows off the definition of your horse’s hamstring muscles.

To do a half moon, brush the hair under your stripes horizontally (not in a curve), taking your brush across onto the semitendinosus muscle, which runs from the point of buttock down the back of his quarters.

Then run your brush – again applying a little pressure – from the root of his tail down this muscle to finish roughly level with the stifle.

TOP TIP

It’s worth practising at home to figure out what type of quarter marks suit your horse best. Done well, they can enhance his physical appearance, but a poorly chosen pattern can also highlight conformational issues.

Pick up a copy of August Horse&Rider magazine, on sale 14 July 2022, to find out how to perfect quarter marks every time.